I did some research, and this breed of horse is so amazing, I may consider, when I do get a horse, to get this breed. Ok, you're in for a long read now. Maybe just pick the section(s) you think may be most interesting or useful, or cool lol. just skim through it even, i won't know I'll give you a quick summary first if your busy, if not, read the rest for extra details and facts.The Finnhorse of Finland is a perfect all-around horse for just about any use. While a descendant of northern-European coldbloods, the Finnhorse is quite fast and agile; it makes an excellent jumper. The Finnhorse is also an outstanding harness racer, with a "Trotting King" and a "Trotting Queen" crowned each year. Most Finnhorses are chestnut or sorrel, but all colors and patterns are welcome in the breed. Finnhorses are patient, willing workers who are very affectionate toward their owners. Nowadays there are four types; the draft type used for farming and pulling, the pony-sized horse, the trotting type which is used for racing, and the riding/sport horse type used for jumping, dressage and other disciplines. The horses generally stand 15-17hh.
Now for the more descriptive partThe Finnhorse or Finnish Horse (Swedish: Finskt kallblod, literally "finnish cold-blood", or Finnish: suomenhevonen, literally "horse of Finland"; nickname: Suokki) is a horse breed with both riding horse and draught horse influences and characteristics, and is the only breed developed fully in Finland. In English it is sometimes called the Finnish Universal, as the Finns consider the breed capable of fulfilling all of Finland's horse needs, including agricultural and forestry work, harness racing, and riding. In 2007, the breed was declared the official national horse breed of Finland.
The Finnhorse is claimed to be among the fastest and most versatile "coldblood" breeds in the world. In Finland, the term "universal horse" is used to describe the Finnhorse and breeds such as the Fjord horse that are relatively small with a body type that is heavy for a riding horse but light for a draught. There are four separate sections within the Finnhorse stud book, each with different goals: to develop a heavier working horse, a lighter trotter type, a versatile riding horse, and a proportionally smaller pony-sized animal. The combined breed standard for all four sections defines the breed as a strong, versatile horse with pleasant disposition. The average height of the breed is 15.1 hands (61 inches, 155 cm), and the most typical colour is chestnut, often with white markings and a flaxen mane and tail.
While the appearance of horses in Finland dates to the Late Neolithic period, the exact origins of the early Finnish horse are not known. Because the Finnhorse breed and its progenitors were the only horses in Finland for centuries, the history of horses in Finland parallels the history of the Finnhorse itself. The documented history of the distinct breed begins at the turn of the 13th century. Outside influences by many light and warmblood breeds were recorded beginning in the 16th century, making the breed larger and more usable. An official Finnhorse studbook was founded in 1907, producing purebred animals in significant numbers for many years. Due to mechanisation of agriculture and the dismantling of Finnish horse cavalry in the later half of the 20th century, the Finnhorse population plummeted from a high of just over 400,000 animals in the 1950s to a low of 14,100 in 1987. However, the breed managed to survive thanks to its popularity for harness racing and its versatility as a mount.
The Finnhorse stud book was created in 1907. Today it has four sections: the Working section (T; draught type), Trotter section (J), Riding section (R) and Pony-sized section (P) In 1924, the first split in the stud book was created, with the working or draught type (Finnish: työlinja) horses in one section, and the "all-around" or "universal" lighter trotting horses in another. In 1965, this all-around section was renamed the trotter section. Then, in 1971, this lighter horse section was divided into three parts: the trotter (Finnish: juoksijalinja), riding (Finnish: ratsulinja) and pony-sized (Finnish: pienhevoslinja) types. Today, the majority of Finnhorses are of trotter type
Draught typeThe working or draught type is the oldest of the Finnhorse types, and has had its own separate breeding section since the studbook was first split in 1924. Though the oldest of the Finnhorse types, it is rare today, with a total of only about 1,000 horses registered in the working section as of 2004. Draught-type Finnhorses are heavier and have a longer body than horses of the trotter and riding types. Though relatively small compared to other draught breeds, Finnhorses have considerable pulling power and can pull very heavy loads because of the breed's good pulling technique, with powerful take-off and low, efficient body position during the actual pulling. The Finnish Draught type is, pound for pound, stronger than many larger draught breeds. An average horse in draught work is capable of pulling about 80 percent of its own weight, while a Finnhorse can pull as much as 110 percent. In work horse competitions, the best Finnhorses can achieve even higher results, pulling more than 200 percent of their own body weight.
Trotter typeThe trotter type is the lightest Finnhorse. A trotter section horse should be of light conformation yet muscular, with a relatively long body and long legs. At the studbook evaluation, a trotter-type horse must meet the standards in racing results and/or in breeding value index as decreed by Suomen Hippos. A trotter's disposition is evaluated during the drivability test. However, type is not part of the studbook evaluation standard for trotters.
The trotter type has existed as a separate breeding section since 1965, when the "universal horse" section of the Finnhorse studbook was renamed and replaced by the trotter section. While the total number of Finnhorses dropped during the 20th century, the popularity of harness racing turned Finnhorse birthrates around from the historical lows of the 1970s and 1980s. Today, approximately 2 000 Finnhorses are in training and 3 000 compete in harness racing. The official Finnhorse racing championship Kuninkuusravit began in 1924 and has been held annually ever since, attracting tens of thousands of spectators.
The Finnhorse is slower to mature than lighter breeds, and thus usually enters harness racing competition at the age of four. However, its build withstands competition better than light trotters, and the breed's effective competition career can be very long. The Finnish harness racing bylaws allow Finnhorses to be raced from ages 3 to 16.
For a "coldblood" breed, the Finnhorse is quite fast. The official Finnish coldblood record as of 2010 is 19,9aly, held by the quintuple Finnhorse racing champion stallion Viesker. The coldblood horse world record in harness racing was long held by Finnhorses, until in 2005 the record was broken by Järvsöfaks, a Scandinavian coldblood trotter from Sweden. As of 2010, the official Finnish record for mares, and the world record for coldblood mares, is 20.2aly, held by the double Finnhorse racing female champion I.P. Vipotiina. The absolute Finnhorse speed record is 19.4aly, held by the stallion Sipori. As the result was not achieved from a win, the time is not an official Finnish record. Finnhorses have been so successful against other coldblood trotter breeds of Scandinavia, that by the 21st century, they have been admitted to Swedish and Norwegian races only by invitation.
Riding horse typeThe riding horse section Finnhorse is a capable and reliable mount. It lacks some traits required for competing at the highest levels of international riding sports, but its combination of size and good temperament makes it suitable for both adults and children. To qualify for the riding section, a horse must carry itself well, and have a long neck, small head, sloping shoulder and well-defined withers. The body must not be too long. These breeding goals have made the Finnhorse overall of a lighter build, with longer neck, better gaits and fewer faults in conformation, allowing modern riding-type Finnhorses to work more easily on the bit. Even the temperament of the riding section animals appears to have become more lively.
Despite the Finnhorse's image as a working farm horse, the breed was used as a cavalry mount from the 17th century until the end of WWII. After the mechanisation of Finnish agriculture in the 1960s and the 1970s, however, it was not clear if the Finnhorse would make the transition into a riding horse, even though the long use of the breed by the Finnish cavalry had proven it well-suited for the job. The Finnhorse had a strong image as a harnessed working horse, associated with rural life and old times. When riding as a hobby emerged and became more established in Finnish cities during the 1960s, imported horses and ponies were preferred as mounts; warmblooded horses represented modern times, leisure time and wealth, while the Finnhorse was viewed as rugged and unsophisticated. The riding section studbook, created in 1971, grew slowly and gained only a few dozen horses during its first decade, as the idea of a Finnhorse used for riding was considered near-ridiculous at the time.
Pony-sized typeDespite its small size, the pony-sized Finnhorse is not a pony, and possesses the same body proportion and movement as the larger sections.
A pony-sized Finnhorse must measure no more than 148 cm (14.2-1/2 hands, 58-1/2 inches) at the withers or the croup. Both sexes are also required to pass either a drivability or a ridability test. The horse's pedigree is also evaluated, and uncharacteristically small individuals descending from larger-sized lines are not accepted. The horse should be proportionately small all over, and express all the qualities of a full-size Finnhorse. Especially thorough attention is paid to the pony-sized horse's character, obedience and cooperation. The pony-sized Finnhorse is suited to practically any use the larger Finnhorse is, with the exception of heavy draught work because of its smaller size and proportionally reduced strength. However, some individuals have been able to compete with and even win against full-size Finnhorses in work horse competitions. Many pony-sized individuals are cross-registered for trotter section breeding, as small Finnhorses can be equal competitors in harness against larger ones. In combined driving, the pony-sized Finnhorse's size is an advantage, allowing for greater agility. The section is popular for therapy and riding school use.
Information from Horseisle and wikipedia